27.2.17

In December 1882 a National Football Conference was held in Manchester in which representatives of the 4 Associations (The FA, The Scottish FA, The Football Association of Wales and the Irish FA) discussed unification of their rules. Interestingly there was also some representation of the Sheffield FA in the person of their Treasurer, Mr Pierce Dix, who represented the Football Association (along with Major Marindin).The unification of the rules was resolved before the inception of the The British Home Championships in 1884. The press were excluded from the meeting.The following points were resolved:1- No more tapes- crossbars only were to be used.2- Touchlines were to be used (previously only boundary flags were compulsory).3- Kick off had to be in the direction of the opponents goal line (only amended in 2016).4-It was agreed to dispense of an experimental rule by which the committing of a deliberate handball when a goal would otherwise have been scored was punished by the award of a goal.5- Throw in- a two handed throw in from above the head, in any direction was agreed upon. This was a hybrid, as previously the Football Association had allowed a one handed throw in any direction whereas the Scottish rule was a two handed above the head throw that had to be at a right angle to the boundary (as in Rugby).6- A player with their back to the opponents goal could be charged from behind if, in the opinion of the officials, they were willfully impeding his opponent. 7-There was an addition to the rules regarding nails in boots etc which specified that players breaking the rule could take no further part in the game.

26.2.17

Unsurprisingly it was the British military that introduced football to Tibet.
The first matches were played in the 1910s, mainly featuring British and Indian soldiers.
The above picture was taken in 1936 and shows Lhasa United.

23.2.17

Charles Alcock's 1874 book Football: our winter game is available to read on Google Books.
As the following extracts show it provides some interesting insights into the development of the game at a time when its popularity was about to explode.
Other chapters cover the history of ball games, different school codes and an in depth guide to playing Rugby.

Playing up
Alcock (like
Bill Shankly
a century later) saw no place in the game for a man who simply didn't give 100% , 100% of the time:

It
would seem superflous to state that in any description of football the
principle of playing up is to be regarded as the fundamental rule on
which depends much of the success of a player. Yet there are many who
neglect the caution habitually and are apt to think that it is an
exercise specially framed with the object of affording what is termed in
slang parlance a gentle breather. Let me discountenance at the outset
such ideas and register my opinion that as far as the dribbling game is
concerned unless a player determine on playing up to the last he should
be discountenanced as a pestilential person likely to contaminate and
ruin a whole eleven. I
would recommend a young player first of all to learn the practice of
keeping on the ball throughout the game and the other secrets will
follow the easier when this is mastered.

The Combination Game
This is the first recorded use of the term, Alcock yet again proving to be at the forefront of important developments in the game. There have been a number of theories put forward regarding the development of Combination play, and various teams have been identified as pioneers. Maybe the system gained favour through something akin to natural selection- only teams adopting this style of play could hope to meet with any success?

Nothing
succeeds better than what I may call a combination game and nothing is
more pleasant to an on looker than a thorough concentration of the
forwards. It is half the battle believe me when a spirit of co operation
pervades the forwards of any Eleven when each player can calculate the
position of his fellow with accuracy and when the slightest obstacle in
the way of one merely produces the substitution of another to take his
place. I have seen much of the game and though I am actually an admirer
and advocate of individual skill give me in preference the command of an
Eleven that works like a machine of an Eleven that knows not self of an
Eleven with every member thinking only of the success of his side and
not coveting a string of goals on his own account. Play up I say to all
and learn to play together with the rest of your fellows and you will
have learnt a very important lesson in the game of football.I
maintain advisedly that allowing anything like a strong opposition
eleven players of average calibre will always overcome an organization
dependent on individual prowess however skilled may be each member of
that organization.Success is sure to wait in some degree on the side which shows the most unity of action. Let the first idea be that of a score for the side and the second the subservient gratification of a goal for one's self.

Backing Up

Let
me commend above all things the policy of backing up as is technically
called the process of following closely on a fellow player to assist him
if required and to take on the ball if he be attacked or prevented from
continuing his onward course. Of late this policy has been adopted more
generally than it was some years ago, and with great success.

ChargingTime and again in Alcock's work we find him promoting skill and mental agility over brute force. Interesting to note here he describes the charge as being executed by the man in possession of the ball as a mean of getting through defenders like a Rugby player. Charging is a point on which great misapprehension prevails with those
who have not yet finished their term of apprenticeship at football.
Injudicious charging is one of the greatest errors in which a player can
indulge as nothing is more calculated to produce a heavy fall and
consequent twist than this principle of wild heedless attack. To charge
well is a point of advantage which recommends itself to the weakest
intellect and to be an adept at charging requires something more than
weight. Prudence demands that charging should be administered like many
other disagreeable potions in moderation and that all recklessness in
this line should be severely reprehended. Except in cases of absolute
necessity I would avoid a charge if possible as you will find that the
shaking that ensues often seriously interferes with your progress while a
more important advantage may often be gained by eluding and
circumventing the obstacle which faces you. When compelled to bear the
brunt of a hostile meeting remember bis dat qui cito dat and if possible
have the first shot keep your body well set your elbows tight your
shoulders and hip acting well in concert and you will have taken the
best precautions for the prevention of a downfall.

Backs None of this cultured 'playing out from the back' in the 1870s!He
should consider delay a capital crime and should never hesitate
eschewing any attempt at dribbling unless he be absolutely alone in
possession of the ball and then only if his own lines be well guarded
during his absence.

Goal keeper Alcock's assertion that there should be a goalkeeper is very revealing. He does, however, advocate rotating the responsibility and using the goalie as an outfield player when you're on top.One
player should be stationed in the very centre of the goal in order to
save it in case the outer lines of defence have been passed by the enemy
the extreme width of the space rendering such a course in most
instances absolutely necessary. The man selected to occupy this post
should be an adept at catching cool and not prone to be flurried and
should the task prove a thankless one and free from all chances of
attack it would be advisable at times to relieve the sentinel by the
substitution of another player.
When contending against weak opponents it is politic to bring the goal
keeper, I mean the player stationed between the sticks, up to the front.

20.2.17

The 1920s and 1930s saw the emergence of some top class goalkeepers across Europe.
They were still vulnerable to physical assault through rushes and charges, and the emphasis, even with the advent of the 3 back game, was still very much on attack.
Here we will look at the international records of 6 notable goalkeepers.

1. Ricardo Zamora - Spain (1920-36)

2. Harry Hibbs - England (1929-36)

3. Josef/ Rudolf Hiden - Austria (1928-33)*

4.Gianpiero Combi - Italy (1924-34)

5. František Plánička - Czechoslovakia (1926-38)

6. Sigge Lindberg - Sweden (1921-30)

Clean sheets

P

W

D

L

%W

GA

GAPG

#

%

Zamora

46

31

6

9

67.39

42

0.91

20

43.47

Hibbs

25

16

4

5

64

26

1.04

10

40

Hiden*

20

12

4

4

60

25

1.25

5

20

Combi

47

28

10

9

59.57

65

1.38

12

25.53

Plánička

73

35

16

22

47.94

120

1.64

11

15.06

Lindberg

49

23

12

14

46.93

85

1.73

10

20.4

Zamora comes out on top. His win percentage, goals against per game and percentage of clean sheets are all superior.

*Hiden played one game for France in 1940 which is not included in these figures.